← World is GodHis autobiography, book three

CHAPTER XIV

San Francisco

“Is it all a Dream?”

IN the evening after flying for four hours, we reached San Francisco and were taken directly to the building of the American Academy of Asian Studies by Mr. William Swartley, the House Manager of the Academy who had come to receive us at the airport. We got upstairs and came in front of the door of a room in which Dr. Frederic Spiegelberg was giving lessons to some of his students in Sanskrit. As soon as he saw Ramdas, he came out, gave Ramdas a warm embrace and standing before him with eyes wide open exclaimed, “Swamiji, are you really here, or is it all a dream?” For a moment he stood still gazing intently on Ramdas, his heart overflowing with love and his face suffused with a happy smile. He took Ramdas for a minute inside his classroom and introduced him to his students.

San Francisco is a big and beautiful city. We had heard much about it in India. The Universities in California attract many Indian students who wish to go in for post-graduate studies. The climate of San Francisco is similar to that of India and quite suitable for Indians to live in.

American Academy of Asian Studies

The American Academy of Asian Studies, founded in 1951, is a well-known institution which offers American students facilities for the advanced study of Asian religions, cultures, philosophies, languages, arts and socio-economic problems. There are several faculties in which students are coached up by proficient teachers qualified in different branches of Asian thought and culture. Mr. Alan Watts is the Dean of the Academy. Dr. Frederic Spiegelberg who is a Professor in the Stanford University is also a Visiting Professor of Indic Studies in the Academy. Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri is another principal Professor of Indian Philosophy in this institution. We were invited by Alan Watts at the instance of Dr. Spiegelberg to stay with them during our visit to San Francisco. According to the programme drawn up by the Academy, two meetings were arranged here for Ramdas’ talks, which they call by the name ‘colloquium’.

The Stanford University

On the next day after our arrival we were taken to Stanford University about 35 miles away. It is a big institution having about 7,500 students on its rolls. Here, as already mentioned, Dr. Spiegelberg is the Professor of Indian Thought. Dr. Spiegelberg took us round this large educational colony. We were taken first to the University Memorial Church. The face wall of the church has got on it beautiful paintings symbolising Jesus Christ preaching, surrounded by his followers. We got inside the building and saw the well-arranged seats, the artistic decorations and carvings befitting the house of God. From the church we went to the University library. Ramdas was told by Dr. Spiegelberg that the total number of books in the library was two million. They were arranged on open racks in a systematic and orderly manner. This phenomenally large number of books occupied several storeys of the building. Books on every conceivable subject and language from all parts of the world were collected and placed here. We can imagine how much literature has poured out from the prolific brain of man. The human brain is a marvellous workshop. Here man is busy in expressing himself in various ways, of which thought revealed in words forms the most precious product. The dominant creative principle in the human being finds free play when it blossoms out into a panoramic unfolding of the Spirit for the sheer joy and ecstasy which it yields.

Dr. Spiegelberg arranged two meetings for the benefit of the students of his Indian civilization classes, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The classrooms which were fairly large were full on both occasions. The strength in each class was about one hundred. Ramdas took a chair in front of the students and Dr. Spiegelberg sat by his side. Here Ramdas was not asked to deliver any discourse or speech on any philosophical or religious subject, but he was only to answer questions put to him by the students. From the questions it was evident that the students were very keen on understanding the subtleties of Indian philosophy and other problems relating to Hinduism and Buddhism. Like pigeons from their holes, questions after questions flew across the room towards Ramdas from the informed minds of the students. Ramdas gave them answers as inspired by God and each answer evoked a hearty approval from the students, oftentimes tickling them to laughter. Ramdas may give here a few typical questions and answers in order to apprise the reader of the great desire of the American students to know India, its religion and philosophy. The two hours spent with these young friends were most delightful and entertaining.

Two Kinds of Smile

Q: We are living in a country which says “Keep smiling.” It does not produce any inward result or value. So we have become somehow critical of all artificial efforts to keep smiling.

Ramdas: There are two kinds of smile, the genuine and the artificial. Very often we put on smiles, but the heart does not smile, only the lips and face take part in it. This is not real smile. When the heart is filled with joy, it is reflected on the face as a smile. It is a natural outflow of joy and such a smile is genuine and very healing. If you give such a smile to a man who is full of sorrow, it will be powerful enough to release him from that sorrow.

Q: How do you find India’s awakening to technology affecting her spiritual life?

Ramdas: It should not affect. We must progress materially and spiritually, side by side. That is the true development we expect will take place in India and all over the world. Material progress should not be at the expense of spiritual advancement. They must go hand in hand. Then we will have the integral evolution.

Faith or Grace First?

Q: Does one believe in God by his own will, or by the will of God?

Ramdas: That is a question which has arisen in the hearts of millions and millions. To have faith in God, His Grace must come to us first. Faith first, or grace first? It has been conclusively proved by saints, who have had the highest spiritual experience, that Grace stands first. The devotee says, ‘Oh God, I remember You because You remembered me first.’ Without His Grace our mind will not turn towards Him.

Q: What does Ramdas think of Christian missionaries going to India?

Ramdas: That is carrying coals to Newcastle!

Q: Would love not illumine spiritual struggle?

Ramdas: Love is the end of the struggle. When you have got love, your struggle ceases. The struggle is to get rid of the ego which obstructs our getting the Love that is our aim. Just as you churn curds until you get butter, you have to struggle only till you get Love.

Q: Do you consider yourself and your body as one?

Ramdas: The body is the expression of the Spirit, the indwelling Spirit. It is the same with you also. You are the expression of the indwelling, all-pervading Spirit. So also others.

Q: Do you consider your global tour a successful one?

Ramdas: Success or failure is not Ramdas’ concern. God has sent him on this tour and he is doing God’s work everywhere and God alone knows how far he has been successful. He does not mind what people say about it. Some may say it is a success, while others may say it is a failure. Whatever they say is all the same to Ramdas. He is doing the work which God has entrusted him with, which is to spread the ideal of universal love and service. He has gone over several countries in Europe and then has come to America. He stayed for a few days in New York, St. Paul and Seattle before he came here. Wherever he went he met with nothing but love and kindness. He sees friends everywhere and no strangers anywhere in the world. All are our friends when God is our friend. So Ramdas meets friends everywhere and he talks to them about God and they are all happy to hear him. He has come to you also to talk about God, because God is his master, friend and all in all; as such he has no other topic to talk about than God. In that way, considering the loving attention and kind care he received from friends and the various talks he had given to them about God, the tour may be taken to be very successful.

Q: Do you ever feel sorry for the suffering of other people?

Ramdas: Ramdas surely feels for their suffering. But he knows the suffering is due to their ignorance.

“Ramdas will Dance with Joy”

Q: What will Ramdas do if I take away his shoes and glasses and throw them out of the window?

Ramdas: Ramdas will dance with joy. You may do so. It is Ram who has given them. If Ram in one form takes them away, He will give in another form, Some years ago, Ram came one night and took away all things from Ramdas. Ramdas was happy to give Him everything. He had only one loin-cloth left. By morning, next day, all things were again provided to him anew by Ram in another form. So the giver is He and the taker is also He. If you throw away these things, Ram will come in another form and replace them.

Q: Is it possible for a person of any caste to be one with God?

Ramdas: God has no caste. The castes and creeds are all of our own making. We have manufactured them, so to say. God never made such distinctions. He assures us that if we have sincere love for Him in our hearts, He becomes ours.

Q: Did you have to give up your family to gain perfection?

Ramdas: Ramdas was taken away from the family for a short period, but he returned to them soon and thereafter he truly loved them. Before that, his love for them was not genuine. It was personal and selfish.

God Never Punishes

Q: Does God punish?

Ramdas: God never punishes. Punishment is always self-inflicted and is there only because of our bad actions, for which we have to suffer. We commit wrongs when we forget God and we have to suffer for them. When we remember Him, we act wisely and do not have to suffer. So we are punished by our evil actions.

In between these two meetings, at about 12.30 noon, Dr. Spiegelberg conducted us to a huge building where we were to take our lunch. Of course, everywhere in Europe and America we found meat-eating very common. Rarely we met people who were strict vegetarians. However, as we had informed Dr. Spiegelberg beforehand about the nature of the food we take, we were provided with vegetarian meal. Then Dr. Spiegelberg took us to the Hoover Tower erected by one of the Presidents of the United States bearing this name, to deposit the precious articles saved from destruction in Germany during the last world war. We were taken up in the lift to the top of the Tower. From this height we could witness the vast and extensive country all round. One remarkable sight we saw was the innumerable motor cars of varied colours parked on the University grounds, forming an attractive design. We learnt that the cars belonged to the students of the University whose total number was about 7,500.

Colloquium at the Academy

The two meetings held at the Academy were attended by learned professors and students and keen spiritual aspirants consisting of young and elderly folk. They were significant because during the colloquium that took place on these occasions there was a wonderful intellectual rapier play, as it were, between the members of the audience and Ramdas. The former was made up of people tremendously earnest whose sole object seemed to be to derive from their contact with Ramdas as much spiritual inspiration and benefit as they could. The questions put to Ramdas were not idle ones. They touched the deepest problems of life. Some women among them, who must have been doing Sadhana and struggling hard on the spiritual path, came forward prominently to have their doubts and difficulties cleared.

On either side of Ramdas on the forum were seated Dr. Spiegelberg and Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri at the first meeting, and Dr. Spiegelberg and Mr. Alan Watts at the second meeting. They started the talk by putting a question or two and thus set the ball rolling. The faces of the friends seated in front of Ramdas were bright with anticipation, their eyes centred on him. Truly, as in other meetings, so in these meetings too one could feel intensely the presence of the Divine. The atmosphere of the room was pervaded by a peculiarly elevating influence. After all, Ramdas is a child of God, and He in His wisdom had taken him to such a distant place on the other side of the globe to meet friends who were wishing for a long time to contact him. Before he made his appearance in their midst, Ramdas was already known to the friends in San Francisco through the lectures delivered by Dr. Spiegelberg about Ramdas and also by their reading Ramdas’ works and the Ashram magazine The Vision.

The following are some of the questions and answers at the colloquium:

God Never Interferes

Q: In what point of Yoga did you find the hand of God interfering?

Ramdas: God does not interfere. He took Ramdas by hand and Ramdas allowed himself to be taken. If we surrender ourselves to Him and are guided by Him, everything will go all right. But what we do is that we try to escape from Him and do not permit Him to take hold of us. That is the difficulty with us.

Q: What was the obstacle that came on the way and which proved to be most helpful to Ramdas?

Ramdas: All the obstacles that came on the way were helpful. Hundreds of so-called obstacles came and they all proved to be beneficial because Ramdas never took them to be obstacles. In fact, they were not obstacles at all. They were only the things necessary for his progress. It all depends upon how we look at them.

Q: Is it not possible to have a perfect state of meditation lying on the bed?

Ramdas: Sometimes by trying to meditate lying on the bed we go to sleep.

God and Man are One

Q: God and man should be working together, or is it God alone? There is a saying that God and the farmer must work together.

Ramdas: Ramdas would have it this way. The farmer must work feeling one with God. In Ramdas’ eyes the farmer is God Himself working as farmer. God and farmer are not different.

Q: When you started on your journey towards God, did you feel that you would not turn back?

Ramdas: Ramdas had given himself over to God to such an extent that He took him by His hand and led him on. If Ramdas had been thinking that he was going by his own strength, perhaps he would have returned. But he was all along in God’s keeping. Therefore there was no question of his turning back.

Q: Would you tell us how much time was used for your prayers during the first three years of your intense struggle?

Ramdas: His struggle was to keep God-thought for all the 24 hours without break. He gave up sleep in those days as he was afraid by going to sleep he might forget God. He reduced his food to the minimum so that he would not be overcome by laziness and sleep. He adjusted his conduct of life in such a way that a stream of God-thought ran in his mind unbroken. He wanted to love God and God alone.

Q: Ramdas should not say ‘we’ are unhappy. Ramdas should say only ‘you’ are unhappy.

Ramdas: Ramdas does not see any distinction between you and we. You and we are not different.

The Better Way

Q: Is it true that if somebody is lost in some vice, the best way to save him is to permit that vice as the basis of Yoga?

Ramdas: That means if his vice is drinking, you should supply him with bottles after bottles. Ramdas does not approve of this method. So far as Ramdas is concerned, the other way seems to be the better. By love you can wean him away.

Q: What would you say to the western critics who ask why you have not got the power of healing the suffering of humanity?

Ramdas: Even if Ramdas removed the sufferings, sufferings will not cease; they will come again to afflict mankind. If people, however, realise the great Truth, God, they will be free from sufferings for all time and will attain eternal freedom.

When Love Enters the Heart

Mrs. Groeger, alias Sarada, from Seattle arrived in San Francisco and met us at the Academy along with her daughter Miss Rosemarie. She was drawn towards us irresistibly. In our company she behaved like a little girl, full of joy and enthusiasm. When divine love enters our heart, we are changed beings. We are intoxicated with a rare joy. Then we look, act and generally behave in a manner which will be a matter for adverse comment from people who do not understand us.

One day we were taken by Mr. James Wardlaw in his car for a drive. James is a plain, devout and unsophisticated person, holding a job in the fire brigade. We went to a garden which was laid out with all the structures in the Japanese style including the gateway, particularly the carved and nose-up eaves of the roofs. In the garden the air was peaceful and we saw in our walks many works of Japanese architecture, principally a huge well-sculptured image of Buddha. We stood before the image for a few minutes in a reverent attitude bringing into our minds the Lord’s sublime life and teachings which have revolutionised the lives of millions of people in the eastern hemisphere and also partly in the western. Really, this Japanese garden was a beauty spot so far as natural scenery was concerned. In the course of this drive we saw on the roadside a fine marble bust of Beethoven, the famous European composer of soul-enchanting music.

Then James Wardlaw took us for sight-seeing towards the hilly tracts on the off side of California. His object in taking us to see these places was mainly to have us all for himself as he liked our company. Ramdas sat by his side in the car while he was driving it. James is a great admirer of Sri Ramakrishna and a frequent visitor to the local Vedanta Centre of which Sri Swami Asokananda is the President. We liked James’ simplicity and frankness very much. Another day he brought his wife and introduced her to us. The couple are of a devotional nature.

In fact, there was nothing rare in the sights we saw during the motor drive. One thing we noticed here, which we did in other parts also of the U.S.A., was that the life lived in this city was marked by discipline and regularity. The people were very industrious. There was no sign of want anywhere. Each one had some work or employment. They lived in nice and comfortable houses. They had enough to eat and clothe. Here again Ramdas was reminded of the contrast in the conditions in India which is far far behind in her economic self-sufficiency.

Another day, as desired by Mr. Louis Gainsborough, the Chairman of the Academy, Ramdas gave him a private interview for about half an hour. In the course of our conversation, he explained the great ideals for which the Academy stood. Its aim was to find out a basis for the cultural and philosophical unity of all nations through the study of the writings of the great thinkers of these nations. Special attention was paid to works which gave expression to their sentiments, ideologies, cultural and literary achievements and above all to their philosophical outlook based upon religious belief and experience. The work they sought to accomplish was indeed laudable. This friend wanted to prolong the interview. But Ramdas could not remain with him longer as he had some other engagement at the time.

Mr. David W. Hunter is a good-natured young man who was introduced to us by Dr. Spiegelberg at San Francisco. He is a teacher of theatre music. He looked upon us with great affection. He took us in his car to the Stanford University and also invited us to his bachelor quarters. He is a devout spiritual aspirant and a pure vegetarian. He used to meet us at the Academy of Asian Studies. We felt great joy in having come in contact with him.

Fellowship Church

Among the visits Ramdas paid to important places, the one that stands out significantly was his visit to the Chapel of the Fellowship Church. This is a church where people of all classes and denomination can freely attend the services. The leader of this church is a Negro. Many other devoted Negroes as also Whites are its members. We were taken inside, as we got down from the car, by the leader who was waiting for us and Ramdas found himself in a big hall in which, as he entered, he saw a decorated shrine with the insignia and flags, which were the symbols of unity and harmony of all races of the world. Ramdas sat in the chair offered to him. This time only three of our party attended the meeting—Satchidananda, Sagarlal and Ramdas. We received a warm welcome from the congregation.

Ramdas spoke here on Universal Love and Service for over half an hour, predominantly stressing the need of unity among all members of the human race without regard to colour, creed or other man-made distinctions and divisions. The talk appealed to the congregation very much. They then put some questions which were answered by Ramdas in the light of his own spiritual experience.

Q: How does one pray?

Ramdas: The prayer should be a simple one, in one’s own language. We need not borrow another’s language for our prayer. We can pray to God to give us constant communion with Him and ultimately reveal His presence in us and everywhere about us. This is a simple prayer.

If Ramdas is attacked?

Q: If a man rises up and threatens Ramdas’ life, what course of action will Ramdas take?

Ramdas: Ramdas will never lift his little finger to take anybody’s life, even if he is attacked. So many have attempted, though not actually to kill him, to beat him. But they could not do anything. As soon as they came near and saw Ramdas’ smiling face, they lowered their hands and went away.

Q: How does Ramdas enter into or react to the sufferings of his brethren?

Ramdas: Ramdas does feel for the suffering of others. The sufferings touch him very deeply and he wishes everybody to be happy. He knows the cause of their suffering. It is ignorance and lack of faith in God. So Ramdas goes about telling people that if anyone wants to be free from suffering, he should realise God, because physical and mental sufferings do not affect one when one communes with Him.

At the close of the meeting some light refreshments were served. But before this was done, as Ramdas got up, two members of the audience, one after the other, rushed towards Ramdas, embraced him heartily and kissed him. In this way they expressed the uncontrollable love that rose in their hearts for him. Actually, all the members assembled there were in a state of high ecstasy. The atmosphere was vibrant with a divine rapture, Many came individually to have a few words with Ramdas. He felt that he was in the midst of people whom he had known for years and years. The familiarity, the intimate fellowship, that was created among the gathering on the occasion was, indeed, marvellous. The delightful experience is unforgettable.

Visit to Carmel

According to the programme already made by Dr. Spiegelberg, we had to go on a visit to a place called Carmel, about 150 miles from San Francisco. We were taken to that distant place by a young lady, Miss Margaret Lial, in her beautiful car. We started in the afternoon and reached Carmel the same evening. There we were the guests of an elderly lady named Miss Sophie E. Harpe. Miss Harpe had made very nice arrangements in her house for our stay. Her self-denial was so great that in order to give us all comforts she occupied a very small room with a plain bed, placing the remaining rooms of the house at our disposal for our occupation. Miss Harpe is an Art teacher in a high school. She is a learned lady and being spiritually inclined, has a neat and small library containing books on religion and philosophy. We naturally liked each other. She used to take us to the place of meetings in her own car in driving which she displayed masterly skill.

Two meetings were held at the house of Mrs. Cherry, a famous artist of the place, in which Ramdas answered the following among other questions:

Are Indians Happier?

Q: Do you think people in India are happier?

Ramdas: Yes, because more people in India are thinking of God. It is not that they have more to eat and live upon, but they remember God and know that the external conditions alone are not responsible for one’s happiness or unhappiness.

Q: Do you recognize group prayer?

Ramdas: There must be individual prayer as well as group prayer. Group prayer is also very helpful to elevate us. When we pray together we create an atmosphere full of divine peace and joy.

Mrs. Cherry was old, but she had a passion for a new style of painting pictures and scenes. She was also of a devotional temperament. It is said that to appreciate art one must be an artist oneself and possess the artist’s eyes. A new art has come into vogue in America, which is held in great admiration by certain classes of people who are by nature aesthetic. We also saw some paintings of this type in the museum in the Stanford University. Ramdas for one could not appreciate the paintings exhibited here. This may be due to his lack of power to understand modern western art.

Vedanta Centre

Next day we returned to San Francisco in the car of our friend Miss Lial. Our stay in San Francisco was to terminate a day later. We could not pay a visit to the Ramakrishna Mission Vedanta Centre in San Francisco earlier as Swami Asokananda, its President, was away from the town. He had returned now and so we took the opportunity to go there for his darshan. When we stepped into the temple-shaped building, which housed the Centre, we felt happy to meet the Swamiji who was all affability and kindness. We spent about fifteen minutes with him during which we came into contact with some of the students of the Centre. We have heard that the Swamiji was methodical in all that he did and possessed deep spiritual experiences and was conducting the various activities there with devotion and efficiency. It is always joy to meet saints. We felt blessed in having gone to this Centre also.

Integral Yoga of the Gita

That night Ramdas was taken to a big room in the Arts Centre where Dr. Chaudhuri, of whom Ramdas has already made mention, regularly held his Indian Philosophy classes. There was a fairly large gathering of students. In the usual course, the Doctor first spoke to them on the subject of “Emotional Disturbances.” His discourse was most interesting both in regard to the thoughts expressed and the language in which they were clothed. We learnt that Dr. Chaudhuri was very popular among his students and others who had cultivated great love and regard for him.

After his talk Ramdas spoke for half an hour on the Bhagavad Gita. He presented the three lines of approach which Sri Krishna says should be adopted by the spiritual aspirant concurrently. He divided the Gita into three sections—the first relating to Jnana or knowledge, the second to Bhakti or devotion and the third to Sharanagati or self-surrender. Before the human being can realise God in all His aspects, he should purify his mind and illumine it with divine wisdom, purify his heart and fill it with infinite love and surrender up his will to the divine will. So mind, heart and will have all to be dedicated to Him—the Master of our life.